Young Justice: The Outsiders
by SolluxStuck
Summary: Maybe I could of ran, but I stood there still as they circled around me slowly with ugly smiles on their faces. I gotta use my head. "Hey grease," One said in a over friendly voice, "We're gonna help you out, we're gonna cut all that nasty greasy hair off." I couldn't speak, I didn't have anything to say. One of them pulled out a knife, "Let's get started."


When I stepped outside of the library, I had two things on my mind, Superman and a ride home. I wished I looked like Superman, he looked cool and tough, not like me but I guess my looks aren't too bad, or at least that's what my father told me, "You're going to be handsome, just wait." My eyes are blue, I wish they were green, everyone says my eyes are pretty but I'd rather them anything but pretty. My hairs a bit longer then most boys, but I am a greaser and none of us ever bothered to get a haircut. Besides, I look better this way.

I had a long walk from the library to home, and no company. I'm usually alone anyways, when I'm at the library. When I go with other people, they always talk, or read over my shoulder, just uncomfortable. I'm different that way, Jason my brother, sixteen almost seventeen, doesn't even read, and my oldest brother Richard, who we call Dick works too much to be interested in stories or drawing, so I'm different. No one in our gang likes books or comics, so I go alone.

Dick understands though, or tries to at least. He's great, but he's always treating me like I'm six, not fourteen, and yelling. So much yelling. He doesn't smile much anymore, he used to all the time, but he grew up, and fast. Too fast for a nineteen year old. Jason is always smiling, well it's more of a smirk then a smile, he's carefree handsome charming and cool. Dick grew up too fast, and Jason never will. I don't know which is better, but I'll find out one of these days.

I went on walking home, thinking about the comics I just read, suddenly wishing I had company. Greasers can't walk alone, or they'll get jumped or called out some Socs will drive by and scream at you, it doesn't exactly help your self esteem. We get jumped by the Socs, it's an abbreviation for Socials, the West-side rich kids. It's like the term 'greaser' which is what they call us on the East Side. We're below the Socs and the middle class. Wilder too. Not like the Socs who jump greasers for kicks, and get editorials in the paper. Greasers are almost criminals, we steal, drive old cars, a gang fight once and awhile. I don't do things like that though, Dick would have my head if I got in trouble with the police. We have to stick together, since our parents are gone. Jason and I try to stay out of trouble as much as we can, and careful if we do. Greasers aren't all bad, we just just wear our hair long and have jean jackets. I mean, neither Socs or Greasers are better it's just how things are with us.

Dick and Jason were still at work, I could of waited until they got back to go to the library, either one of them would of gone with me, or driven me, or at least just walked with me, though Jason doesn't like the library. Or one of gang could of come along. We think of the gang as family, we grew up with them. Dick or Wally could of picked me up in their cars if I called. It drives Dick nuts when I don't think, I'm smart and all. I get good grades, but I sometimes I just don't use my head. I liked walking anyways.

I didn't like it so much when I saw a bright red Corvair trailing me. I was almost home, two blocks away? I started walking faster, glancing back to see if they were still following. I had never been jumped before, but I wasn't looking forward to my first time, I'd seen what it did to Bart. Four Socs had gotten a hold of him, after he was scared of anything that moved. He was fourteen, now he's fifteen but he hasn't gotten better. The fast walking didn't help much, the Corvair pulled up beside me and five Socs got out. I started getting scared, I mean I was fourteen but pretty small for my age. I hitched my thumbs into my jacket, I could try and make a break for it? I remembered how Bart was when he got back, his face was cut up and bruised, he cried when we found him in the corner lot. Bart had it bad at home, it took a lot to make him cry.

I looked around, my palms getting sweaty and clammy. They did that whenever I got nervous. Maybe I could of ran, but I stood there still as they circled around me slowly with ugly smiles on their faces. I gotta use my head. "Hey grease," One said in a over friendly voice, "We're gonna help you out, we're gonna cut all that nasty greasy hair off."

I couldn't speak, I didn't have anything to say. What do you say when you're about to get mugged? One of them cussed at me with a smile. I kept my mouth shut. One of them pulled out a knife, a blonde one. "Let's get started." He said flipping the blade open.

I backed away, away from the knife. I backed straight into one of them. They had me on the ground in no time. Pinning down my arms and legs, one of them sat down on my chest with his knees. I fought to get loose, almost made it but they tightened up on me, the one sitting on me slugged me a few times. I lay still, gasping for breath, the guy was pretty heavy. A blade was held to my throat, "Let's start from the chin up." He said.

I started to think, these guys could actually kill me. That got me going, and I started screaming for Dick, Jason, the gang, anyone would do. Someone put their hand over my mouth, I bit hard into it, tasting blood in my mouth. I heard someone curse, before I got slugged again. I felt something getting shoved into my mouth, a handkerchief maybe? "Shut him up would you?" I heard someone yell.

Out of nowhere the Socs got off, leaving me lying there gasping. They scrambled away, jumping over me, I laid there confused, too dazed to figure out what was going on. There was loud noises all around, I felt someone grab me and pick me up, and helping me to my feet, it was Dick.

"Tim? Are you hurt?" He hugged me a bit too tight for comfort, I was dizzy and lack of air wasn't helping.

"I'm alright, Dick I'm fine." He released me quickly, "I'm sorry."

He wasn't actually, I could tell. Dick was more worried then sorry. Dick was the spitting image of Dad, but was completely different. Dad was only forty when he died, but he looked twenty five. People thought that Dick and Dad were brothers, rather then father and son. I think it pleased Dick to be thought like that, to be equal to Dad.

Dick is tall, I don't remember the exact number, but he is tall. He's got broad shoulders and he's muscular. He's got dark hair just like Dad, but what sets him different from most boys his age, is his eyes. I have the same eyes, but his are different then mine. His are determined and firm, they weren't always that way, they were soft and kind before our parents died. When he was younger, he was scrawny but Mum said that he would grow to be handsome, and boy was she right. He's only nineteen but he looks tough, cool, and smart. Real handsome for his age.

I sat on the ground, rubbing my face where I got hit the most. "You okay? They didn't hurt you too bad right?"

They did, I wanted to cry. My stomach ached and my face was sore. Not to mention my chest where the Soc sat on me. My hands were shaking from the scare. I just wanted to go home.

"I'm okay..."

Soon Jason came around, the loud noises I heard when the Socs scrambled was the gang chasing them off. He knelt down beside me, looking at my head, "You got cut up a bit Timmy." I only returned with a confused look. Dick pulled out a handkerchief and knelt beside me as well, pressing it gently on the side of my face. Jason laughed a bit, "You're bleedin like a stuck pig."

Dick brought back the handkerchief and showed it to me, stained red like it came from nowhere. "Did they pull a blade on you?" Dick asked worried. _'We're gonna cut all that nasty greasy hair off' _The blade must of slipped or something, I nodded "Yeah."

Jason is just as handsome as Dick, if not more. The type you would stop and stare at on the street. He has dark hair the same as mine and Dick's, but unlike us he has bright thrilling green eyes. He's not as tall as Dick, and not nearly as strong, but he's got a well drawn face, that shows recklessness but has a sense of... Charm to it? We got Dad's eyes, but Jason got Mum's sparkling green eyes, something I've always been jealous of, not that I don't like my eyes they're alright, but they aren't Mum's. Jason is one of a kind, he gets drunk but never drinks. He doesn't need to to, he manages to get drunk of plain living. Jason looked at me closer, but I turned away, to tell the truth I was going to bawl, and you don't cry in front of Jason.

"It's alright Tim, it's alright. They won't hurt you no more." Dick told me, putting a hand on my shoulder, Jason and him both standing up. "I know..." I said, wiping my eyes, not letting any tears fall, "Just, spooked that's all." You don't cry unless you're really hurt, like Bart. Compared to Bart, I was barley scratched.

"You're gonna be okay." Dick assured me, rubbing my hair. Jason looked at me with a grin, "You're an okay kid Timmy." I had to grin at him, Jason could make anyone grin if he tried. "You're out of your mind." I told him nudging him in the side. "You're both nut heads." Dick said. Jason laughed, "We got it from you."

Dick paused before cracking a grin. Jason wasn't scared of Dick like most people were, and teasing Dick was one of his favorite pastimes, and for some reason Dick just didn't mind.

The gang had chased the Socs to their cars and tossed rocks at them. They came running back to us, four guys. All of them tough as nails. I grew up with them, and they accepted me, I was Dick and Jason's kid brother, and I kept my mouth shut good.

Roy Harper was twenty two, tall and lean. He had bright ginger hair, greasy and kept well combed. He was cocky, smart, and Jason's best buddy. Roy was good with cars, and when I say good, I mean _good. _He could lift a hubcap quieter then anyone else I knew, he knew cars like the back of his hand, and could drive anything with wheels. Him and Jason worked at the same gas station, Steve part-time and Jason full time. Their gas station got more customers then any other in town. Either because Roy was so good with cars, or Jason attracted girls like flies to honey. I only liked Roy, because he was Jason's best friend. He didn't like me, thought I was some stupid kid, probably because most of the time Jason though the same.

Wally 'Kid' West was twenty, and the wise cracker of the bunch. He was about the same height as Dick, and had strong legs. He had bright red hair like Roy's, but a more shaggy look to them. He had green eyes, and a large goofy grin, and you couldn't shut up the guy. He was pretty immature, most people called him 'Kid', even guys younger then him, including me. He liked fights, blondes, and for some weird reason school. Not just school though, he didn't like the place itself, he mostly went for the science they had. He used to enjoy it before he somehow graduated. I liked him real well, Dick did too. They hung out in High school, maybe that's how Kid passed.

If I had to pick the toughest member of the gang, it would be Connor Kent. His face was hard, solid looking. He had dark hair, he didn't like hair cuts or hair oil, it sat plainly on his head, jagged looking. His eyes were blue, but not the same as mine and Dick's, his held the hatred of the world. They were ice cold, like they used to hold something, but it was gone. He was tougher then the rest of us, colder, harder, meaner. Connor would blow steam off in gang fights in his old home in New York, but here there were only small rumbles, with no one to really beat. No one to hate but the Socs and you could never beat the Socs, you could whip them, but you'd never beat them. Connor was bitter. Dick said it had something to do with his Dad, but he doesn't like to talk about it. Connor had a reputation. He cheated, lied, stole, jumped kids, he did everything. I didn't like him, but a guy like Connor you have to respect.

Bart Allen, last and least. If you think of a small dog, that had been kicked one too many times, and was being surrounded by strangers, you'd have Bart. He was the second youngest, me being the last, but smaller then all of us. He was Kid's cousin, Bart lived with his parents, and they were brutal. He had reddish brown, heavily greased hair, that was combed down, with green eyes with a nervous look that never went away. The beating that he got from the Socs didn't help. He was everyone's younger brother. His Dad was always beating on him, and his Mother never gave him the time of day, unless she was angry and needed to take out her anger on something, or someone. If it hadn't been for the gang, I don't think Bart would know what love and affection was.

I wiped my eyes some more, "Did you catch them?"

Kid shook his head, "Naw, they got away this time, them dirty..." he went on calling them every name he could think of.

"Tim's okay?" Connor asked, I nodded my head, "I didn't know you were out yet Connor?" Connor took out a cigarette sticking it in his mouth, "Good behavior, got out early." He lit it, and took out another handing it to Bart. Everyone followed to do the same, sitting down to smoke. It started to calm me down, I stopped shaking and the colour returned to my face. Kid gave a grin, "That's a nice looking face you got there Timmy."

I touched a bruise that was starting to form on my face, "Really?"

"Yeah, makes you look tough. Nice cut too." He said nodding. Roy narrowed his eyes at me, "So what were ya doing walking all alone?" Leave it to Roy to bring that up.

"Coming home from the library. I didn't think..."

"You don't ever think," Jason cut in, "Not when it counts. You must think sometime though, with those good grades you bring home, and you've always got your nose in some book, but do you ever use that brain of yours for common sense? No, and if you really wanted to go by yourself, you could of at least carried a blade.''

I just stared at my shoes, not making eye contact. Jason and I just didn't click. I couldn't please him, if I did have a blade he probably would of chewed me out for carrying one. If I was playing football, I should be studying, if I'm reading I should be playing football. Dick wasn't any better, and Jason never yelled or got mad at Dick, just me and vice versa. Dick yelled at me when I brought home B's, but when Jason dropped out there wasn't a word said. "Oh just let him be Jason." Dick said, even though he yelled sometimes, he usually stuck up for me. Jason just shook his head, blowing out smoke in a puff.

"Next time call us, any of us will go with you Tim." Kid said, "We'll all go with you." Connor flipped away his cigarette butt, "Speaking of goin' places, I'm going to the Nightly Double tonight, anyone up for coming?" It was weird that Connor was asking, he usually went alone. Roy shook his head, "Me and Jason are gonna go pick up Kori and head to the game tonight." He shot me a look, I wasn't going to go with them, I didn't even want to. I wouldn't tell Jason, though some day I might, but I really can't stand Roy. Dick shook his head, "Work." Dick never had time to do anything anymore.

Connor look at me and Bart, "Tag you're it." He said. I looked at Dick, he nodded "It isn't a school night." He was real tough when it came to school nights, but weekends he was pretty understanding. I looked at Bart, "Me and Bart will come." I said confirming for him. "Are you gonna take Wendy?" Connor shook his head, "Naw, she got a wimp boyfriend while I was gone."

Wendy and Kori, they came by every once and awhile. Wendy and Connor were friends, or whatever you can consider being a 'friend' to Connor. Wendy and Connor spent some time together, we weren't too sure what was going on between them but guess it wasn't anything serious.

I couldn't focus on my homework, too busy thinking. 'Connor always liked Wendy... Maybe she got a wimp boyfriend to get him away? I mean we are pretty bad to be around.' No one liked to be around us, I remember in science once. I sat next to a real nice girl, we had to dissect a worm. The razor wasn't working, so I took out my switchblade. The minute I brought it out she gasped, "You _are _a hood!" There were a lot of Socs in that class too, and most of them thought it was pretty funny. I didn't though. She was a cute girl, looked real nice in purple too.

We deserve a lot of what we get, if not more in Connor's case. Wally, he just swipes anything he can get, doesn't even need half of it. Jason and Roy take out their energy on drag races, they've got no other way to get rid of it all.

"Could ya rub harder Jason? I'm going to fall asleep." I heard Dick laugh in the other room.

I looked through into the other room. Jason was giving Dick a back rub. Dick was always pulling muscles. With his roof work he always tried to carry too much up. Jason would put him to sleep, I knew he would. Jason could get anyone to sleep if he tried. We both knew Dick worked too hard anyways.

Dick didn't deserve to work all the time when he was only nineteen. He had been really popular in High school, captain of the football team and everything, but we just didn't have enough money for him to go to college, even with the scholarship he won. And now with work, he didn't even have time to think about college. So he never did anything.

I rubbed my cheek where it was starting to turn purple. It did make me look pretty tough, but Dick made me put band aid on the cut. I tried to forget how bad Bart looked after he got beaten up. We had just as much right to the streets as the Socs did. Bart never hurt them. Why'd they hate us so much? We never did anything to them. We always left them alone. I almost fell asleep without finishing my homework trying to figure it out.

"Come on kid, let's get to bed." Jason said, already in bed himself. I finished up the rest of my homework quickly and got in next to him. Lying in bed, next to Jason I couldn't help but see the faces of the Socs whenever I closed my eyes. Surrounding me, the blade. I could still hear that thick ugly voice, "Hey grease. We're going to help you out" I shivered.

"You cold or somethin'?" Jason asked.

"A little..." I lied, Jason threw his arm around me, "Listen kid, when Dick yells at you all the time... It don't mean anything. He just has more worries then he should for someone his age alright? He's real proud of you-no, we're real proud of you. It's just cause you're the baby and all-we love you alright?"

"Yeah." I said, trying to sound convincing, I paused a moment before adding, "Why'd you drop out Jason?"

"Cause I'm dumb, and I was only passing a few classes anyways."

"You're not that dumb..."

"Yes I am, now shut up about it." Jason said, "I'll tell ya something I'll never tell Dick..."

"Yeah?"

"Think I'm in love." He said, "Don't ask me who, I can't say... But I'm gonna marry her, move out of here, but stay so I can still help Dick with some bills."

"Who are you in love with?" I asked anyways.

"I told ya I can't say idiot." Jason said harshly, and we were back to the yelling. "Yeesh, Dick wasn't kidding when he said you don't use your head."

I felt him go still after awhile, he'd fallen asleep on me. I sighed, I never understood Jason, I knew he didn't like me, but he told me that Dick and him really did... Dick used to love me, but now I was just another mouth to feed and someone to yell at. I thought of how soft Dick's eyes used to be, now they were cold and hard. Dick love me? Dick didn't love anyone or anything, except maybe Jason. I don't care though, I lied to myself, I don't care about him either. I can hold up until I get out of school. I don't care about Jason, or Dick. I was still lying and I knew it. I lie to myself all the time, but I never believe me.


End file.
